§ Q85. Mr. Teddy TaylorTo ask the Prime Minister if she will raise at the next meeting of the European Council the use of the general agreement on tariffs and trade as an arbitration in resolving disputes between the EEC and other trading groups.
§ The Prime MinisterThe British Government, like our Community partners, strongly believe that the general140W agreement on tariffs and trade provides the best route for the resolution of trade disputes. We have pressed for improvements to its dispute settlement procedures in the Uruguay round of multilateral trade negotiations and an initial package of such measures is now in force following the December 1988 ministerial meeting in Montreal. We take all appropriate opportunities for reminding our Community partners of the importance we attach to GATT dispute settlement procedures, and the need to improve them still further.